Greener Carnival: Trinidad's Efforts Towards Sustainable Celebrations

Initiatives like Carnicycle and other local ventures are transforming Trinidad's carnival into a more sustainable event by recycling costume materials, employing biodegradable products, and encouraging local thrift businesses to reduce waste.

From extravagant costumes to vibrant parties, Trinidad's carnival, often heralded as "the greatest show on Earth," faces environmental challenges, notably producing approximately 3.4 tonnes of waste annually. Local initiative Carnicycle, co-founded by Danii McLetchie in 2018, highlights that while carnival is integral to the culture, it brings significant environmental repercussions tied to costume production, textile use, and event waste.

A single carnival costume bra can generate up to 37.68kg (83lb) of CO2 emissions. McLetchie and her team aim to validate this finding through a third-party assessment and emphasize the pressing need for reduction given the tens of thousands participating yearly. To combat this, they launched a recycling program to collect unused costumes from masquerade bands, facilitating the reuse of materials like feathers and beads.

Last year, Carnicycle managed to collect around 10,000 pieces, repurposing them for future use and providing affordable options for costume designers and ravers. The initiative also offers costume rentals for the popular oversized backpack pieces, addressing both financial and physical burdens placed on masqueraders.

Alongside Carnicycle, Aliyah Clarke and Kaleen Sanois have introduced a thrift shop, 2nd Closet, to promote the resale of pre-owned clothing and provide transformation tutorials for carnival costumes repurposing into everyday wear. Their venture reached new heights after assisting with the closet of celebrated musician Machel Montano, generating excitement among fans through pop-up shops featuring his worn items.

Moreover, sustainability reaches into the parties associated with carnival. Events like Fete with the Saints are dedicated to minimizing waste through biodegradable cutlery and reusable cups. Initiatives, including hiring "bin detectives" to ensure proper disposal of waste, contributed to doubling the recycling rates over previous years and prevented over a million single-use plastics from entering landfills.

Organizers acknowledge the cost and labor increases for these sustainability efforts but remain committed, emphasizing the importance of preserving the carnival spirit while prioritizing environmental responsibility. This positive direction is appreciated by partygoers celebrating both the vibrant culture and an eco-conscious approach.